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Review
. 2016 Jul;144(10):2136-43.
doi: 10.1017/S095026881600039X. Epub 2016 Mar 4.

Social media in Ebola outbreak

L Hossain  1 , D Kam  1 , F Kong  1 , R T Wigand  2 , T Bossomaier  3
Affiliations
Review

Social media in Ebola outbreak

L Hossain et al. Epidemiol Infect. 2016 Jul.

Abstract

The West African 2014 Ebola outbreak has highlighted the need for a better information network. Hybrid information networks, an integration of both hierarchical and formalized command control-driven and community-based, or ad hoc emerging networks, could assist in improving public health responses. By filling the missing gaps with social media use, the public health response could be more proactive rather than reactive in responding to such an outbreak of global concern. This article provides a review of the current social media use specifically in this outbreak by systematically collecting data from ProQuest Newsstand, Dow Jones Factiva, Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) as well as Google Trends. The period studied is from 19 March 2014 (first request for information on ProMED) to 15 October 2014, a total of 31 weeks. The term 'Ebola' was used in the search for media reports. The outcome of the review shows positive results for social media use in effective surveillance response mechanisms - for improving the detection, preparedness and response of the outbreak - as a complement to traditional, filed, work-based surveillance approach.

Keywords: Disaster; Ebola; disease surveillance; social media.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
ProMED reports (English vs. all languages) with ‘Ebola’ in the subject and post heading. Week starting 18 March 2014 and ending at week 31 (16 October 2014).
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
(a) Search results in newspaper headlines and wire feeds by count for ‘Ebola’ from ProQuest Newsstand. Week starting 18 March 2014 and ending at week 31 (16 October 2014). (b) Search results in newspaper headlines and wire feeds for ‘Ebola’ from Dow Jones Factiva. Week starting 18 March 2014 and ending at week 31 (16 October 2014).
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
(a) Results of Google Trends searches for the terms ‘Ebola’ and ‘Flu’. (b) Results of Google Trends searches for the term ‘Ebola’ in the affected countries.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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MeSH terms